Anemonoides blanda, syn. Anemone blanda, the Balkan anemone, Grecian windflower, or winter windflower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae. The species is native to southeastern Europe and the Middle East. The specific epithet blanda means "mild" or "charming". The genus name is derived from the Greek word anemos, or wind. Description An herbaceous tuberous perennial, it grows up to tall. It is valued for its daisy-like flowers over a fernlike foliage, which appear in early spring, a time when little else is in flower. The plants can also easily naturalize. The flowers are an intense shade of purple blue, but are also available in shades of pink and white. Leaves The green leaves are finely divided and arranged in a whorled and alternate pattern. They do not contain hair like structures. The leaves are deeply cut. The plant has compound leaves that are grown in basal arrangement. The edges of the blades of leaves contain teeth. Roots and stems The stem of the plant is nonaromatic and wiry. It has little root growth so its normal for them to only produce few roots. The perennial is tuberous-rooted. Fruits and flowers The flowers are found in various colors and are radially symmetrical. The flower contains about seven or more sepals and petals. The flowers have an attractive, striking appearance with dull centers and smooth, satiny, vibrant petals. The flowers come in colors like white, yellow-green, red, or purple, and more. They are shaped like cups, with several stamens. The plant contains small fruits, frequently including plumose tails. The fruits of this plant are dry and do not split open after they ripe. They are about 1.3 to 3 mm in size. Seeds and bulbs The Grecian windflower grows from bulb-like tubers. The tubers appear to be black in color and are non-uniformly shaped, small, wrinkled pellets. The tubers do not contain a thin, paper-like sheath. Viable tubers have a firm texture. The minimum size of a tuber of is 5 cm, but they can be larger in size. The seeds have low germination rates, but rates can be increased using stratification. Distribution The native range of Anemonoides blanda extends from southeastern Europe, through Turkey and Lebanon, to western Syria in the Middle East. The species has been introduced into Germany and elsewhere. There are numerous naturalized populations in Canada and the United States. Cultivation Anemonoides blanda should